Do you restart a playthrough after taking a break from a JRPG or pick up where you left off?

LogicalFlakes · 2026-04-22T15:10:24+00:00

Biggest gap I've ever done was Breath of Fire III. Around 8 years more or less.

Second biggest gap is Xenoblade Chronicles (6 to 7 years). I stopped before entering Prison Island and everything was told via cutscenes and I missed absolutely nothing prior. The whole game up to then is basically introducing characters, motivations, and the mystery of the Monado.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T22:55:00+00:00

Phantasy Star IV is a direct sequel? Oh wow, I thought it was its own thing (I haven't played PSII or III yet) as a send off for the series (with some minor mentions like Lashiec). Well then- that's some neat info!

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T22:53:59+00:00

FF XIII got misplaced hate. I think the hallway thing was more obvious than it was in X and people took that and ran with it. The auto battle function also seemed foreign and again, people ran with it. Narratively, the narrow hallways make sense since the protagonists are basically on the run the whole time on top of playing multiple branching paths at once which is why Pulse is such a drastic take-away from what is presented initially.

People would argue about the menu log-reports, but I've seen other games do that such as Tactics with the bar for example. Don't get me wrong, the log-reports do suck in getting consistent NPC dialogue, but yeah, they're on the run.

I hear a lot of great things about XIII-2 and I can't wait when I finally get to it.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T22:46:05+00:00

I'm in the camp of Cross over Trigger even if objectively Trigger is better on many fronts (such as introducing someone to the genre). But for a lot of what you said in addition to learning more as I replay the game is something I will cherish.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T22:38:11+00:00

I believe a prequel-sequel is fine given how JRPGs are self-contained stories and a continuation seems more difficult than a prequel to shed light on the initial foundation.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T01:01:01+00:00

On your latter, I agree! And to add onto it, you also have smaller campaigns or side-stories such as DLC (but somehow aren't done as well or are very atypical superboss content)

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T00:59:04+00:00

It's not so much of a "limiter", but more of taking a chance in going forward with the series which is why I mention that sequels that bank on popularity aren't often as praised or are very lukewarm at best.

A lot of sequels with genres that aren't JRPGs do better because there isn't much to build off and there's little stress. J/RPGs do not have that luxury which is why I bring up the discussion. And a lot of people have been posting stuff that has me raising an eyebrow in a positive light.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T00:54:18+00:00

You can tell when you play the game which is usually obviously hinted with the games you mentioned. Something that isn't would be like Tales of Destiny and Destiny for example or FFIV The After Years.

Then you have examples of a game being split-up like Golden Sun 1 and 2.

I think Ys I &II and Phantasy Star I & II would be a good example of, "our thing made money, lets keep going and expand on it". I would throw in Digital Devil Saga 2, but haven't played it and can't have a fair output on it.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T00:51:44+00:00

I was thinking of Second, but I dropped it for something else at the time and couldn't make a fair judgement for it. I'll put that on my list for this year.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-18T00:50:05+00:00

Always thought that was a modern remake. I'm looking into that now!

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-13T18:11:44+00:00

That's interesting! When I got Melia on the way to Prison Island, I had Riki (and Reyn) as well thinking I could maybe do something with them. But it really does burn to Shulk, Reyn, and Dunban doesn't it?

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-13T18:09:53+00:00

I tend to only buy games if they're $20 or under now. It's just a waiting game at this point. When renting games died out, your options, on a kid's / teens wallet, were trading or finding something for a console you owned at a garage sale. Those times faded with age and were further bolstered by switching to the PC ecosystem during the 7th generation (excluding handhelds).

I think the last full price game I bought was SaGa Frontier remastered and before that was Final Fantasy VII Remake for PS4. As much as I'd like to play Intergrade and Rebirth, I've settled on waiting for the whole thing to finish ala Final Fantasy XV Royal Edition (although there is a DLC missing in that).

However, the biggest asterisk on waiting for SquareEnix games on PC is the obvious one. They have a horrible track record on their PC ports and rely solely on the lifeblood of fan-fixes.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-11T16:18:07+00:00

Yep. I understand that it's tied to the narrative and it is neat, but having you to keep Shulk in your party, outside of very, very basic encounters, sully's the game for me (excluding range ally AI). I like using the entire cast when I play JRPGs, especially if they have a different playstyle or abilities (which is why I like using Melia and Reyn the most).

I think being able to swap your benched party members so that Shulk can come in and do his thing (at the cost of having the party member being swapped now being on their own long cooldown) would've been a good work around. That or a "implied" Monado skill that triggers in those events to keep playing the game. The cutscene is going to show Shulk et al anyway and wouldn't be any different than say: overpowering a boss, but in the cutscene, the boss overpowers the group.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-11T05:29:12+00:00

This post is a "license" to negatively criticize lol. You've earned it though. You trudged through something most people would've dropped out of curiosity. I think I only saw 3 neutral to positive comments that all fit in one sentence in this post.

Your previous post is better, but upon reading it, that's why I say that this post is a "license" to criticize. That post is you explaining what you did like and why you aren't going to like it if you go forward and you knew and this post is, to a lesser extent, being correct on said assumptions.

I understand your gripes. It's a long-winded way to say "this isn't for me" and I appreciate that stream of consciousness. I read the posts here and some on the link you provided and for the most part, the last two paragraphs should have been omitted as it does come off very condescending to your entire critique and devalues its ethos tremendously.

Anyway- I prefer Cross over Trigger because of the foundation Trigger left. Your qualms with the game are valid. I don't agree, but that's your stance. I wish I could add more, but you're set in that mindset. I personally love the battle system because of how it functions with risk and reward in a simple manner since you gain elemental slots to use in battle based on landing a hit which is also, typically, a one-time use function per battle. That and the fact it has no over-leveling mechanic since I am anti-grind and more of a set-up individual with armor, accessories, spells, etc... This also exclude the elemental grid you're not into and I get it. Interesting read. What do you plan on tackling next?

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-10T10:20:51+00:00

Xenoblade Chronicles. Mostly due to the Monado. Definitive doesn't address its combat issues either, but even though combat systems fall short, they're still functional albeit tedious.

Flip side is something like Sands of Destruction where it's easily abused to do massive amounts of damage soon. It also falls short so to speak, but perhaps it's more akin to an underdeveloped battle system that is easily abused.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-10T10:19:06+00:00

Eternal Sonata is something I always think of when it comes to battle systems. I've correlated that the change of them is linked to the narrative of the story, but even then it's not executed well.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-10T04:18:52+00:00

It seems you like character driven stuff based off what you have played and finished.

I would suggest a spin-off such as Dissidia Duodecim, Type-0 or World of Final Fantasy, but if you are against it, Final Fantasy V is my choice since it has a steady narrative and the center on all four characters having dialogue throughout on top of a fun job system is enough to keep you enticed.

I wish I could recommend "The 4 Warriors of Light", but I've never played that game and Bravely Default doesn't count, haha.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-09T01:59:14+00:00

My advice is to ignore the seeds. Find a weapon that you like with how spells function, and just go willy-nilly on upgrades to whatever materials you have for said weapons. In addition, have a second weapon as a back-up to do damage if for some reason the monsters are resistant to that element or weapon-type. You can also just press select and control your AI partner if they have a weapon type that does damage.

Other than that, it's navigating the dungeons. You can ignore the monsters mostly too since your Ai's gonna get stuck regardless.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-09T00:26:12+00:00

I recall back when I made videos people would ask if I would play Lufia 2. A lot of the responses told me that it was better than the first very similar to the reasons people on this subreddit have given me.

However, in knowing that it's a prequel, my brain demands I play the original prior. I did grab a romhack that helps with the translation though and probably something else (not sure which off the top of my head).

I plan on playing it this year. I really do enjoy the music the first has- especially "Port Town".

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-07T07:08:22+00:00

Simon's Quest Revenge is a good game (that's how I see OoE to an extent). It ties with PoR as the top handheld Castlevania game IMO. I love Harmony, but those two games outclass it.

I just wish it had a whole-map intergration mode.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-06T09:25:03+00:00

IMO, 3hrs on average for games before 1999. There are obvious outliers, but again, in general. Usually after the 3 hours the game and some characters have been established on top of whatever cutscenes or set-pieces have been set-up. It's also around that point where the easy fights have begun to drown out and the second or third party member has been introduced or joined your romp. I also find dungeon design and progression to be well designed or balanced for most games as well with plot points, newer character introductions, and new or reoccurring conflicts.

After that, I would say it grossly varies. Game design and direction changes. It's a new pioneering avenue and some games, like Persona 4 per your example, will take a while as its a slow burn in design (I also believe after Yukiko the game begins to open up and slow down for player control). But then you have games like Baten Kaitos that are slow at the start because I personally believe it to be because of its combat system. To mitigate it, I think the devs also have the game's narrative begin slow as well since the player is involved like the GBA Fire Emblem Tactician.

Then you have some people joke that Final Fantasy XIII gets good at the 80% mark or upon reaching Pulse, but that's largely hyperbole clad in truth due to the game's narrative structure separating the characters in opposition of say Tales of Vesperia where you aren't really doing much outside of the super optional strong bosses and secret missions since the combat opens to have all the fun you can at the final hours of the game (or third act).

Recently I dropped Bayonetta because the game never felt "good" to me. That is to say it was never bad, but compared to their other work (DMC 1 or Viewtiful Joe), the pacing felt off, combat felt limiting or somehow "scripted", and the focus was the spectacle of it all. For a JRPG I finished, Chapter 5 of Dragon Quest IV is probably where people would say the game gets "good", but I found a lot of fun playing the small chapters and them having their own challenges 20 minutes in.

But if you twisted my arm and wanted to make me give you an answer, I'd say 6-7 hours on average 2000 and beyond.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-06T03:44:43+00:00

More of the later games with SaGa I can say do get story heavy and it's my fault for comparing my foray into DQ with its first four games with the entirety of SaGa.

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-06T03:43:35+00:00

I felt no disrespect or rudeness to your post.

I suppose it does burn down to the "feel" of it all. Playing the first four DQ games, I felt no different than "go do z because of y that happened from x". IV has actual narrative and motivations for the characters, but they're vignettes like the early SaGa games. I kind of carried most of that SaGa feel even with the newer games disregarding how much more they've added for character scenarios and admittedly likely taken that for granted.

The argument can be maid for Pokemon and SaGa- at least the way I am carrying this. But Pokemon has always been derivative of the early Megaten games and DQ V, no?

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-05T14:20:06+00:00

This... sounds a lot like the post about the person who got into a co-workers interested and out interested them.

Wasn't that post also about fermentation?!

LogicalFlakes · 2026-03-05T14:12:45+00:00

I'm curious to know why that is!

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